City wide boys Dale Binns and Craig Dobson ran riot as the hosts cruised to a comfortable 3-1 win on a night when hapless Hayes were pleased that the Lilywhites lacked the composure in front of goal which would have resulted in the Missioners being on the receiving end of a Milton Road mauling.

Gary Roberts was relieved that his depleted squad emerged from Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Sutton without any further additions to the injury list. The recalled Jamie Southon continued in an unchanged midfield. Former Hayes schemer Mark Molesley, along with, Robbie Simpson, Josh Simpson and Danny Naisbitt were all ruled out by injury (although the latter two made the bench).

Hayes dismal recent record of one league win from their last fourteen outings showed no sign of abating on Saturday when fellow strugglers Eastbourne collected three points from the two sides’ Church Road encounter prompting visiting boss Willy Wordsworth into two changes with Liam Feeney and Stuart Goodall making way for Mark Boyce and Danny Jeffreys.

If the Milton Road faithful harboured any fears that the club’s current crisis would affect the performance of the players on the park, these were soon dispelled after a bright start culminated in an opening goal of the highest quality.

Paul Booth laid the ball back to Craig Dobson who spotted Craig Pope’s overlapping run. The cultured right back drove forward at pace and delivered the perfect cross between goalkeeper and defenders allowing Dale Binns to steal in at the far post and smash a drive back across Kevin Davies.

Much like the last home game against St Albans, City had stormed into an early lead, on this occasion however there was no response from the visitors.

Pope and Dobson combined again moments later to carve through the left side of Hayes’ defence. The former Lewes winger displayed an excellent first touch in bringing down Pope’s lofted pass before flashing a drive across the face of goal.

With less than ten minutes on the clock City made more good progress down the right, creating a shooting chance for Greg Lincoln who should have extended Davies when well placed in front of goal.

Gilt edged chances continued to come and go, great interplay between Michael Gash and Dale Binns on the left saw the ball worked inside to Dobson who raced clear on goal but somehow skied over the bar from close range when it seemed easier to score.

The hard working Gash won the ball well on the left and set up strike partner Booth who weaved along the edge of the box before firing narrowly wide with Davies scrambling across his line.

City were dealt a blow when Jamie Southon was forced to limp off having apparently injured himself in making a tackle which earned him a caution. Josh Simpson, who ideally would have been rested, was forced into action with little over a third of the game gone.

The teenage midfielder was immediately in the thick of the action collecting Lincoln’s lay off before sending a crisp drive inches wide.

The influential Lincoln delivered an inswinging near post corner from the left which skimmed off a defender and onto the forehead of Lee Chaffey, in space some ten yards out. The left back made a full blooded connection but shaved the crossbar when he really should have hit the target.

Inevitably, as the half drew to a close City were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal as Hayes grabbed an equaliser. Kevin Warner swung in a free kick from wide on the left and the diminutive Kevin McKenna somehow found the space to plant a downward header beyond Alan Calton and into the corner of the net.

In an attempt to curb the threat of Dobson, Willy Wordsworth withdrew left back Mark Dennison at the interval and replaced him with Stuart Goodall. However, less than a minute into the second period the visitors were exposed down the opposite flank as City regained the lead.

Glen Fuff started the move which led to the goal with a raking clearance which found Gash whose immediate lay off to Booth allowed City’s top scorer to play the ball into the feet of Binns who was already accelerating into top gear. Leaving Chris Elsegood trailing in his wake the former Hendon wide man burst into the box and fired powerfully under Davies.

Hayes could have snatched a leveller soon afterwards. Kevin Warner’s well placed right wing corner was met by Kieran Knight’s powerful header and only the intervention of Michael Gash on the line kept the ball out.

There was no sign of a lack of match fitness about Josh Simpson as he raced clear down the left cut inside and laid the ball back superbly into the feet of Michael Gash but the teenage striker was unable to maintain his current rich vein of scoring form as he steered a good chance wide of the target with Davies stranded.

There was to be no let off for the hosts the next time City attacked however. Tormentor in chief Binns again dragged Elsegood out of position before sending a driven cross back towards the penalty spot where it was met by Dobson who smashed in a half volley which would probably have ended up in the River Cam had the net not intervened. A well deserved goal for a fully committed display.

Davies almost gifted City a fourth when he slipped in attempting to clear and gave the ball straight to Gash who played in Booth but Robbie Williams recovered to retrieve the situation.

The precision of City’s inter-passing was too hot for Hayes to handle and a slick one-two between Gash and Booth saw the former Welling hit-man fire off a shot which Davies did well to parry. The loose ball pinged around the Hayes box until Pope tried his luck firing just wide.

In a rare break Danny Jeffreys seized on a half chance to fire over from 20 yards but that was as good as it got for the visitors.

City dominated the closing stages creating a number of openings, the closest they came to increasing their lead was when Gash connected with a Pope cross but Davies grabbed the ball under the angle of post and crossbar.

The players soaked up the deserved applause of the Shed Choir who had given the team excellent vocal backing throughout and for a moment it was possible to forget the ominous cloud that hangs over the club. Whilst the players remain capable of producing such high quality performances then the supporters will remain capable of letting them know they will back them all the way to the end of this uncertain season.